Battery hand-lamp



L. MAISEL.

vBATTERY HAND LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED Aus.2s, 191a.

1;354,:,23. ,menmdse t. :28, 1920..

- UNITE-D v STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

LORENZ MAISEL, OF MADISON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO BURGESS BATTERY COMPANY, OF MADISON, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

BATTERY HAND-LAMP.

Specification of'Letters I'atent. Patented Sept, 28, 1920,

Application filed August 26, 1918. Serial No. 251,389.-

-To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LORENZ MAISEL, citizen of the United States, residing at Madison, in the county of Dane, State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and-useful Improvements in Battery Hand-Lamps;

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

The present invention has --reference to battery hand lamps, and primarily to lamps of the type in which a controlling member or switch mounted in a housing attached to the lamp case and electrically connected with one conductor, is movable in the housing intoand out of engagement with the other conductor, the two conductors having electrical connection with the lamp reflector and the battery, respectively.

The invention resides in the provision of certain improvements, hereinafter fully described, relating notably to the aforesaid controlling memberor switch, which-is so constructed and arranged as to enable it to be readily and quickly manipulated, and to be moved at the will of the operator into either temporary or binding engagement with its co-acting conductor, or into binding engagement with the case, the binding engagement in both instances serving to lock the switch in either of its two positions, so

that accidental displacement therefrom isprevented. Moreover,the mounting of the switch is such that its repeated movement from one position to the other does not re-' of the lamp, and the 'nut is adapted to move thereon in-Qeither direction, consequent upon its rotation, so that it may be brought into and out of contact with the out-turned end of the associated conductor, the opposite end of which is electrically connected with the reflector. The other conductor is electrically connected withthe housing and, hence,

with the nut or switch, so that when the latter engages the terminal of the first-men tioned conductor, the circuit will be closed and :the lamp lighted. By arranging the carrier pin in the manner specified, the, opposite faces of the nut will be disposed transversely of the axis of the lamp, from which it follows that a wiping engagement between said faces and the contact strip terminal and case is assured, thereby effecting the retention of the nut in such engagement for the purposes stated, although the nut.

may, of course, have a momentary engagement only with said terminal if the lighting of the lamp is to be merely temporary.

The accompanying drawing shows one form which. a lamp constructed in accordance with the invention may take; but it is to be understood that no limitation to the precise structuralwfeatures of such form, either singly or in combination, is'contemplated, excepting in so far as may be necessitated by the language of the appended claims, since the invention is susceptible of appreciable modlfication and change w1th1n the scope of said claims, and since parts and features of the'invention as disclosed may be used independently of one another and in other and different environments.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved lamp;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section; 1

Fig. 3 is an end view of the case of the lamp; and

4 is a vertical section of a slight Fig, I modi cation, or development of the inventi'on.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the structure shown therein embodies a cylindrical case 1, which, in the form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, is constructed of fiber, or other suitable insulating material, but which may be made of metal, as represented in Fig. 4. In either instance, the case is provided at one end with a threaded metal collar 2, over which may be screwed a threaded cap 3 arranged to hold the lens 4 and reflector 5 against the end of the case. The incandescent lamp or bulb 6 is fitted in the reflector in the usual way, and has a projecting contact 7 for engagement with the adjacent terminal 8 of the battery 9, the latter usually comprising a plurality of dry cells arranged end to end in series connection within a pasteboard' tube. The zinc container ofthe lowermost cell is engaged I by a coiled )spring 10, which is carried by the threaded cap 11, at thebottom of the case and serves to hold the battery firmly against the lamp terminal 7, said spring being included in the electrical connections.

between the aforesaid zinc container and the switch or controlling member 13, herein-- after described, which connections in the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 also comprise a threaded metal collar 12 engaged by said cap 11. All of the parts thus far, referred to, with the exception of the switch 13, are,

or may be, in the main, of conventional form.

V The afore-mentioned switch v13 embodies the most important features of'the invention', .as previously stated, and, in its preferred form, consists of. a knurled wheel or nut, or equivalent device,' which is rotatably mounted on a threaded pin 14, which is itself mounted ina metal housing 15, suitably secured by studs 16 to the case 1. The housing comprises a semi-cylindrical boss 17, which is cut away transversely atits center, as at 18, so as to provide a space or opening through which the outer portion of the nut projects to permit its manipulation, the'inner portion of the nut extending in like man- I her into an opening 19 in the case. r 'pin 14 is supported at its opposite endsin The v I apertures in the end walls of the boss 17 in such a way as to prevent it from turning with the nut when the latter is rotated. 'Con-' sequently, when the said nut is turned in one dlrection or the other, it will be caused, to

move longitudinally of the pin, and, hence,

The switch nut is utilized toma e and.

break electrical connection between a pair of conductors shown in Figsll and 2 as consisting "of metal strips 20 and 21, which are arranged longitudinally of the fiber case against the inner surface thereof and are respectively connected with the collar 12 and reflector 5. In Fig. 4, where a metal case is disclosed, only the upper strip 21 is utilized,

the case itself forming the other conductor and in that instance the said upper strip is insulated from the 'case by an intermediate strip 22 of rubber, fiber or similar material, and the reflector is similarly. insulated by means of a rubber or fiber ring 23 which is interposed between the out-turned or flanged supporting edge 24 of the reflector and the in-turned upper edge 25 of the collar 2. The

.lower strip 20, when used, has its lower end bent at 26 around the lower edge of the case and inserted between the latter and the collar l2, and its upper end fastened to one of edge of the opening 19, and its upper end 28,

in the form shown in 1 and 2, is turned or bent slightly outward" so as to extend partly across the upper edge of the case, the latter end being introduced between .the aforesaid edge of the case and the supporting edge 24 of the reflector, which rests directly on the case edge in the usual manner. In this way, the required electrical contact between the reflector and the upper strip is maintained, while at the same time the terminal .28 of said strip is prevented from touching the metal collar 2, the upper edge of the latter being spaced slightly below the edge of the case for that purpose, so that short-circuiting isfthus avoided. The stud 29 employed to fasten the said strip in place has its outer end countersunk in the fiber out of contact with collar 2 for the same rea-- son. 'In the modified combination illusand thus complete the required electrical connection, the fastening stud 31 for said -96, trated in Fig.4, the upper end of the single conducting strip 21 is bent inwardly so as tocontact with the reflector, as indicated at,30,

stri being insulated in themanner shown.'-

rom the foregoing, it willbe apparent that when the lamp is grasped in the hand in the ordinary way, the switch nut-1'3 can be readily turned by a simple movement of the thumb of the operator, such rotation causing a it to move toward either the bent terminal I 27 of the conductor 21 or the lower edgeof the case opening 19, according to its direction. The engagement of the nut with the with the result that the 'bulb'becomes illllfminat'ed', such engagement"being either of a temporary or a-permanent character accordingas the operator may desire. In the latter instance,- the nut is caused to wipe against, and thereby lock itself in binding enga ement with the terminal; whereas in t e former instance, it is merely caused to touch and the'terminal of the conductor ceases, the circuit will be opened, and if it is desired to thereafter insure protection against accidental closing of the circuit, as when the i aforesaid terminal completes the circuit through the lamp, as will be understood,v

the terminal and is thenmoved away from" 1t. As soon as the contact between the nut lamp is being carried in the pocket or in a piece of luggage, this maybe effected by turning the nut far enough to bring'it into binding engagement with the lower edge of.

the opening 19, in which position it will be locked by the friction exerted upon it. It is also. to be observed that the nut is disposed at all times within the opening 19 in the pasteboard wrapper of the battery, so

' tion, with {a battery case having a pair of conductors, anda lamp; ofa device on said case for establishing electrical connection between said conductors to light said lamp, embodying a member rotatable on an axis eccentric to said case into and out of'engagement with one conductor and adapted to bind laterally against that conductor when engaged therewith to maintain such engagement.

2. In a battery hand lamp, the combination, with a battery case having a pair of conductors, and a lamp; of a device for establishing electrical connection between said conductors to light said lamp, embodying a member-having a combined rotary and lateral movement into and out of 'engagement with one of them, said member being mounted on said base in position to.

be manipulated by the hand in which the case is'held. n

3. In a battery hand lamp, the combination, with a battery c'ase having a pair of conductors, of a lamp; of a device for establishing electrical connection between said conductors, to light said lamp, embodying a member having a combined rotary and lateral movement into and out of engagement with one conductor andadapted to bind against that conductorwhen engaged therewith tomaintain such engagement, said member being mounted on sald case in position. to be manipulated by the hand in which the case is held.

4. In a battery'hand lamp, the combination, with a battery case having a pair of conductors, and a lamp; of a device on said case for establishing electrical connection between said conductors to light said lamp,

embodying a housing, a pin mounted in said houslng; and a rotatable member carried by said pin and adapted to move into and out of engagement with one conductor. 5. In a battery hand lamp, the combination, with a battery case having a pair of conductors, and a lamp;ofa .device on said case for establishing electrical connection between said conductors to light said lamp, embodyin a housing, a threaded. pin mounted 1n said housing, and a nut' rotatably mounted on said pin and adapted to travel thereon into and out of binding engagement with one conductor.

6. In a battery hand lamp, the combina-' tion of a case having an pening formed therethrough; a lamp carried by said case; a conductor within said case; and fi'dGVlCB mounted on the exterior of the case for completing an electric circuit through said conductor to light said lamp, embodying a member projecting through said opening into the interior of the case and mounted for rotary movement into and out of engagement with .said conductor.

7. Ina battery hand lamp, the combina tionof a case having an opening therein; a

tary movement in the opposite direction into binding engagement with the adjacent end wall of said opening.

8. In a' battery hand lamp, the combina tion of a case having an opening therein; a lamp carried by said case; a conductor within said case having its terminal extending outwardly through said opening; and a device for completing anelectric circuit throu h said conductor to light said lamp, embocIying a membenprojecting inwardly through said opening, said member being mounted for rotary movement in said opening into and out of binding engagement with said terminal. 1

9. In a battery hand lamp, the combination of a'case having :[an opening therein; a lamp carried by said case; a conductor within said case having'its terminal extending outwardly throu h said opening; and a device for completing an electric circuit throu h said conductor to light said lamp, embodying a member projecting inwardlyv through said opening, said member being mounted for rotarymovement in one direction in said opening to bring it into binding engagement with said terminal, and for rotary movement in the opposite direction in said opening to bring it into binding engagement with the adjacent end wall of the opening.

10. In a battery hand lamp, the combination of a case having an opening therein; a lamp carried by said case; a battery within the case; a housing attached to the side of the case and electrically connected with the battery, said housing having an opening in line with the first-named opening; a conductor within said case having its terminal disposed adjacent said first-named opening; a threaded pin mounted in said housing; and a rotatable member carried by said pin to travel thereon in either direction, said member having a portion thereof projecting outwardly through the secondnamed opening for manipulation, and an opposite portion projecting inwardly through the first-named opening to be brought into contact with said terminal to close the circuit through said lamp when said member is turned in the proper direction.

- '11. In a battery hand lamp, the combination of a case having an opening therein; a lamp carried by said case; a housing attached to the side of the case and having an opening in linei-with the first-named opening; a conductor within said case having its terminal disposed adjacent said firstnamed opening; a threaded pin mounted in said housing; and a rotatable member carried by said pin to travel thereon in either direction, said member having a portion thereof projecting outwardly through the second-named opening for manipulation, and an opposite portion projecting inwardly through the first-named opening to be brought into contact wlth said terminal to close the circuit through said lamp when said member is turned in one direction and to be brought into binding engagement with the adjacent end wall of said first-named opening when turned in the opposite direction.

12. In a battery hand lamp, the combination of a case; a reflector therein; a bulb fitted in said reflector and having an exposed terminal; a lens fitted on said reflector; a cap for holding said lens and reflector in place; a battery in said case having a lierminal to engage the lamp terminal; a spring within said case acting against the battery to hold said terminals'in such engagement; a cap fitted on said case and carrying said spring; a pair of conductors disposed longitudinally withinsaid case, one having electrical connection at its outer end with the reflector, and the other having electrical connection at its outer end with the second-named cap, said spring maintaining electrical connection between said secondnamed cap and the other terminal of the battery; a housing mounted on the side of the case and electrically connected with the inner end of said other conductor; and a contact member mounted in said housing for rotary movement about its axis into engagement with the inner end of the first-named conductor, thereby to establish electrical connection between said conductors.

13. In a battery-hand lamp, the combination of a casing, batteries and a lamp therein, a housing mounted on the side of said casing and connected with said batteries, a

conductor connected with said lamp and terminating within said housing and a contact member mounted in said housing forrotaryc movement about its axis and for lateral movement in the direction of its axis into and outof contact with that part of said conductor which is beneath said housing.

14. In a battery hand lamp, the combination, with a battery case having a pair of conductors, at'least oneof which is in the form of a narrow metal strip provided with a laterally bent terminal, and a lamp; of a device on said case for establishing electrical connection between said conductors to light the lamp, said device embodying a member rotatable about its axis and adapted to wipe against said bent terminal during the course of such rotation to lock it in engagement therewith.

16. In a-battery hand lamp, the combination, with a battery case having a pair of conductors, at least one of which is inthe form of a narrow metal strip provided with a laterally bent terminal, and a lamp; of a device on said case for establishing electrical connection between said conductors to light the lamp, said device embodying a housing adjacent which said bent terminal is located, and a member mounted in said adapted to rotate into and out of engage- ,ment with said bent terminal about an axis eccentric to the axis of the case.

, In testimony whereof-I aiiix my si ature.

LORENZ MA SEL.

mg electrical connection between said con- Correction in Letter'sPatentN0.1,354,323am [seen] It is hereby certified that 'in Letters Patent No. 1,354,323, granted Septernber 28, 1920, upon the application of Lorenz Maisel, of Madison, Wis consin, for en improvement in Battery Hand-Lamps, ah error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 31, ciaim 3, first occurrence, fer

the word of read and; end that the said Letters Patent should be read with this cerreetion therein that the same mey confo rm to the record of the case in the Patent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 30th day of November, A. D.,' 1920 L. B. MANN,

Acting Commissioner of Patent:. 01. 240s.5.

Correction in Lettere PetemNo.1,354323; w

[seen] it is hereby certified that 'in Letters Patent No; 1,354,323, granted September 28, 192-0, upon the application of Lorenz Maisel, of Madison, Wisconsin for an improvement in Battery Hand-Lamps, ah error appears in the printed specification requiring correotion as follows: Page 3, line 31, claim 3, first occurrence, for

the Word of read and; end that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correetion therein that the same may eonform to the record of the case in the Patent Qffice.

Signed and sealed this 30th day of November, A; D.,' 1920 L. B. MANN,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 01. 240-85. 

